Lawyer for former Mass. speaker Salvatore DiMasi says he broke no law

Photo by Winslow Townson / Associated PressFormer Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, right, laughs with his spokesperson David Guarino as he prepares to enter federal court in Boston Wednesday for a conference on the public corruption charges he is facing.

By STEVE LeBLANC
Associated Press

BOSTON - Lawyers for former Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi and three associates are vowing to prove their clients broke no law despite allegations of public corruption brought by the federal government.

Prosecutors say the four schemed to rig two lucrative state contracts for software company Cognos in exchange for payments, with DiMasi allegedly pocketing $57,000. The others allegedly received hundreds of thousands of dollars.

At a court hearing Wednesday, DiMasi's attorney Thomas Kiley said he'll argue his client's actions were permitted by law.

Martin Weinberg, the attorney for DiMasi's longtime friend and accountant Richard Vitale, argued prosecutors are unduly expanding the interpretation of the law in the case.

DiMasi and Vitale, along with Joseph Lally and Richard McDonough, have pleaded not guilty. All four have been free after posting $10,000 bonds and surrendering their passports.